Episode 13: What Would I Tell a 40-Year-Old Man?
Rich is 60, has been training for over 40 years, and has made plenty of mistakes along the way: trained hard, recovered badly, and paid no attention to sleep, nutrition or mobility. In this short solo episode he sets out the seven things he wishes he'd understood in his 40s.
No lecture, no perfect formula. The point isn't to be fit at 40 - it's to build a body and a lifestyle that keeps you strong, healthy and capable for the next 10 or 20 years.
The seven:
Don't wait for something to go wrong. The bad back, the dodgy knee, the weight gain, the blood pressure reading - start before the problems show up, not after
Build and maintain strength. Muscle is one of the best investments you can make in your future health. Train to stay capable: carrying, stairs without losing your breath, getting off the floor without a hand down, playing with your kids and grandkids
Take recovery seriously. Rest days, sensible intensity, mobility, nutrition, sleep, stress. Training is the stimulus - recovery is where the adaptation happens
Protect your sleep. The foundation pillar, and the first thing most people sacrifice when work and family get busy. It drives training, recovery, appetite, energy and mood
Stop chasing the next diet. Learn the basics and do them consistently: 30-40 g of protein per meal, fruit and vegetables, sensible portions, plenty of water, and limit the processed food
Three to five gym sessions a week isn't the whole job. What you do the other 23 hours matters just as much. Get outside, move through the day, and think about the whole day rather than the one session
Look after your mind. You can have a six-pack and be exhausted, stressed and unhappy - that isn't healthy. Fitness should support your life, not become another source of pressure
The message: don't wait until your body forces you to change. It applies whether you're a man or a woman, at 40 or at 60.
If you're coming back to training after a long break, or managing a health condition, check in with your GP first. We're coaches, not doctors.
If you enjoyed this, share it with someone who needs to hear it. Over 40 and want help putting it into practice? DM the word METHOD on Instagram @richlevy_performance.
Comments